This is a great, action-packed game for all ages featuring
the four simultaneous battles being waged at the end of Star
Wars Episode I, Phantom Menace. The game is easy to learn
and play, but with nuances you will not appreciate until you
have fought it through many times.

The game presents each player with the Breakout Normandy
style priority sorting dilemma, i.e., where do I concentrate
my actions this turn? For example: I can take down the Gungan
Shield this turn, but if I don't help Darth Maul now, he may
be dead before I get another chance.

The Naboo and Trade Federation players must each pursue strategy
in four separate arenas. The Gungan and Droid armies are locked
in a battle of attrition, with extremely important bonus plays
awarded for successes. Anakin is fighting his way through a maze
of Federation Starfighters, hoping to shut down the Droid warriors.
The Queen(s) and Captain Panaka are battling what seems to be
a never-ending stream of Battle Droids and Destroyers as they
try to ascend three floors of the palace to the throne room,
where they must capture the Trade Federation Viceroy. Last, but
certainly not least, Darth Maul, Larry Lingle, Quigon, and Obiwan
are locked in mortal combat in the Generator Facility - woe to
the side that loses here, because a Jedi or Sith emerging from
this battle usually proceed through enemies in the palace like
the proverbial "hot knife through butter." On the other
hand, sometimes a badly wounded Jedi is "No match for Droideka".

Despite the myriad of tactical possibilities, the actual rules
are very simple and easy to assimilate. As a result, all ages
may participate in this event and knowledge of the rules is not
required. A word to the wise from a battle weary Circus Maximus
player may be appropriate at this point: Kill the women and children
first.

Preliminary Rounds
The Tournament will be a Multiple heat, Swiss style competition,
with three preliminary heats leading up to the single elimination
rounds. Players will have three opportunities to advance to the
single elimination rounds by being one of the top 16 qualifiers.
The Single Elimination rounds will be expanded to 32 only if
the event draws 64 or more players. More than one win during
the prelims will not earn you an additional slot in the single
elimination rounds, but it will greatly improve your chances
of advancing to the Single Elimination rounds. In the event of
lack of sufficient games, priority for play in the pre-lims will
be given to those with games (first) and those who have not played
in a previous heat (second).

MESE ADVANCEMENT: In Multiple Entry, Single Elimination
events for multi-player games, players possibly qualify for Single
Elimination play in the second round by winning any of up to
three preliminary Heats. Players can enter one or more Heats
without limit. This MESE event consist of five rounds; an opening
Round consisting of three Preliminary Heats, and four rounds
of Single Ellimination play for the top 16 to advance. The elimination
portion will advance a pre-designated optimum number of players
to fill the second round: i.e., 32 players for 64 or more entrants
in the preliminary round, 16 players for 32 to 63 entrants in
the preliminary round, etc.

HMW TIEBREAKERS: Winning a Preliminary Heat will NOT
in itself guarantee advancement. "Win and yer in" is
no longer a given although it is a strong possibility. The MESE
system of tiebreakers encourages repeat play in Heats without
requiring it. A single win (especially in the first Heat entered)
will probably advance that winner but is not guaranteed to do
so. Conversely, players who continue to play additional heats
after winning a Preliminary game only enhance their chances of
advancement without damaging their prospects, but a player who
wins his/her only Preliminary game will probably advance without
investing further time in Preliminary play. Meanwhile, non-winners
who continue in Preliminary Heats will have additional chances
to qualify in search of that elusive first win since in most
events, a single win will still advance you. In two-player games,
that is not as likely and due to the high number of players without
games we've had to adjust the tie breakers as follows. This MESE
event will advance the optimum number of players to the next
round based on the following tiebreakers in descending priority
without exception:

#1 - Three Wins and has copy of the game (if needed for next
round).
#2 - Two Wins and has copy of the game (if needed for next round).
#3 - Win in 1st Heat entered and has copy of the game (if needed
for next round).
#4 - Win in 2nd Heat entered Vs a previous winner and has copy
of the game (if needed).
#5 - Win in 2nd Heat entered and has a copy of the game (if needed
for next round).
#6 - Win in 3rd Heat entered Vs a previous winner and has a copy
of the game (if needed).
#7 - Win in 3rd Heat entered and has a copy of the game (if needed
for next round).
#8 - Win in 1st Heat entered, but without copy of the game (if
needed for next round).
#9 - Three Wins but without copy of the game (if needed for next
round).
#10 - Two Wins but without copy of the game (if needed for next
round).
#11 - Win in 2nd Heat entered Vs a previous winner, but without
copy of the game (if needed).
#12 - Win in 2nd Heat entered, but without copy of the game (if
needed for next round).
#13 - Win in 3rd Heat entered Vs a previous winner, but without
copy of the game (if needed).
#14 - Win in 3rd Heat entered, but without copy of the game (if
needed for next round).
#15: High roll of two dice. Re-roll ties.

Moral of the story; if you've got a game - bring it.

There will be no time limits for games during the prelims,
but games usually conclude in less than two hours. Opponents
will be assigned randomly by order of appearance, however, if
you do not wish to play your oft-faced next door neighbor from
Peoria or Bel Air, please inform the GM.

Single Elimination Rounds - Friday 1200

The SE rounds begin at 1200, with succeeding rounds following
every two hours.

A time limit will be observed during the SE portion. All games
not completed 15 minutes prior to the start of the next round
will end at the completion of the turn in progress. No new turns
may begin. If the Naboo and the Jedi have not yet won the game
at the end of that turn, then the Trade Federation and Darth
Maul win. A player judged to be stalling as the time limit approaches
may be disqualified.

Side Determination - All Rounds

Players may mutually agree on sides to be played. If an agreement
cannot be reached, a bidding process will be necessary.

If both players wish to play the Naboo, they will be required
to bid away Palace Guards in order to acquire the Naboo side.
Each player will have the opportunity to make one secret bid
in which the number of Palace Guard to be forfeited will be recorded.
The player forfeiting the most Palace Guards will be the Naboo
player. In case of a tied bid, the die will be rolled to
determine sides and the winning player will forfeit the number
of Palace Guards bid. The guards to be removed will be chosen
by the Naboo player.

If both players wish to play the Trade Federation, they will
be required to bid away Battle Driods on the first floor of
Theed Palace in order to acquire the Federation side. Each player
will have the opportunity to make one secret bid in which the
number of Battle Droids to be forfeited will be recorded. The
player forfeiting the most Battle Droids will be the Trade Federation
player. In case of a tied bid, the die will be rolled to determine
sides and the winning player will forfeit the number of Battle
Droids bid. The droids to be removed will be chosen by the Trade
Federation player.

Rule Clarifications:

1. Card instructions always supercede the rule book.

2. Captain Panaka always moves four on a "Rush"

3. Palace Guards always move eight on a "Rush"

4. If the true Queen Amidala is dead, the movement rates of
the Decoy Queen and Captain Panaka are not reduced to two - only
palace Guard movement is affected.

5.Window Ledge movement is possible from the second to the
third floor, and vice versa, at both ends of the palace.

6. Palace Guards, Queens and Panaka are not required to start
on a window ledge in order to use window ledge movement.

7. There are many card interactions during play. All card
actions must be completed unless the player declares a pass,
in which every action on a particular card must be passed.

8. The die roll for a "Riposte"must be rolled. A
"Riposte" cannot be blocked.

9. On a Darth Maul "Rage" or a Jedi "Fury,"the
character may move up to 12 and use three attack dice, and then
move up to 12 and use three attack dice a second time.

10. On a "Use the Force" play, a player may discard
any number of cards desired. The new replacement cards drawn
must all come from the same deck.

11. When Droids are transferred from the Battlefield to Theed
Palace, they must all originate in the same Battlefield hex.
If there are insufficient "Staging Zone" spaces on
the first floor of Theed Palace to accommodate all the Droids
leaving the Battlefield hex, the excess Droids are eliminated.

12. When Battle Droids or Droid Deka transfer to Theed Palace,
they may be placed in any vacant hex in the "Staging Zone"
regardless of the location of other Trade Federation or Naboo
pieces.

13. When Battle Droids or Droid Deka transfer to Theed Palace,
they may not shoot after they are placed.

14. New Battle Droids or new Droid Deka may not shoot on the
turn they are deployed from an MTT.

15. AAT and MTT may never enter a "Gungan Shield"
hex, regardless of whether it is a split shield hex or a full
shield hex.

16. Catwalk Movement - see page 10 of rules: Jedi/Maul may
move from the center catwalk square that borders each catwalk
to any of the four adjacent squares and vice versa. They may
only change catwalks by passing through the center square first.

17. Characters on a staircase may ONLY attack: (a) someone
on the staircase space either above or below the attacker or
(b) any adjacent character. Similarly, any character adjacent
to a staircase space may attack a character on that staircase
space.